There’s something about commencement speeches that can make speakers really go off the rails.
The phenomenon affected CBS’ Scott Pelley, the anti-Trump host of “60 Minutes” who, fresh off ripping into Paramount for limiting future hit pieces by his show, used his prepared remarks to criticize unnamed enemies of the Fourth Estate he accused of tarnishing his profession. It was abundantly clear, however, who he was talking about.
“In this moment, this moment, this morning, our sacred rule of law is under attack. Journalism is under attack. Universities are under attack. Freedom of speech is under attack,” Pelley warned.
The speech, delivered before graduates at Wake Forest University, was the latest sign that the Trump administration’s crackdown on liberal safe havens is provoking paroxysms among his critics. It’s also the second time that Pelley has publicly alluded to the power that President Trump wields over his ability to practice activist journalism without consequences.
“Insidious fear is reaching through our schools, our businesses, our homes, and into our private thoughts. The fear to speak in America!” he continued, almost falling into an ominous whisper.
“Power can rewrite history with false, grotesque narratives. They can make criminals heroes, and heroes criminals. Power can change the definition of the words we use to describe reality.”
Permeating Pelley’s message were his personal qualms with Trump’s agenda: “diversity” among new immigrants is now termed “illegal” aliens by the administration, and “inclusion is a dirty word.”
“This is an old playbook, my friends,” he went on. “There is nothing new in this.”
Pelley last month issued a stunning on-air attack of CBS’s parent company Paramount, which is in the middle of negotiations with the Trump administration to settle a $20 billion lawsuit brought by the president over a “60 Minutes” interview favorable to former Vice President Kamala Harris. During the final minutes of an episode, Pelley intimated that the new editorial control exercised by executives played a role in longtime producer Bill Owens choosing to resign.
He also suggested that a multi-billion dollar merger between Paramount and Skydance, which requires approval by the federal government, is partly to blame.
“Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways,” Pelley said at the time.
The troubles at CBS have been compounded both by anemic ratings among key audience demos as well as the resignation of CEO Wendy McMahon, who wrote last week that it has “become clear” Paramount no longer wanted her at the helm.
“It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership,” she said in a letter to colleagues announcing her departure.
With Owens and McMahon no longer providing cover for liberal journalists like Pelley, the “60 Minutes” host may now feel the corporate pressure creeping down upon him to conform with fairer coverage of President Trump.
